Just as John and I basked in our anniversary bliss on the beach, a woman in a swimsuit ran up, knelt before him, and uttered his name. My heart stopped. Who was she, and what could she possibly want from my husband? Little did I know, I was in for a tear-jerking awakening that day.\u201cJOHN\u2026 No, please don\u2019t leave me\u2026 John!\u201d I shrieked, jolting awake in an empty bed. My heart was racing as I realized it was just a nightmare. I\u2019m Rosa, and I just had the worst dream ever. My husband John had abandoned me in some tropical paradise, surrounded by turquoise waters and swaying palm trees. As the morning sun peeked through the curtains, I tried to shake off the uneasy feeling. \u201cRosa? You okay?\u201d\n
John\u2019s voice called from the hallway. He appeared in the doorway, a concerned look on his face. I let out a sigh of relief. \u201cYeah, just a bad dream. What time is it?\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s almost 9. I made coffee,\u201d he said with a smile. \u201cOh, and happy anniversary, sweetheart.\u201d My eyes widened. How could I forget? It was our 10th wedding anniversary! I jumped out of bed and threw my arms around him. \u201cHappy anniversary, John! I can\u2019t believe it\u2019s been ten years already.\u201d John\u2019s eyes twinkled with excitement. \u201cI\u2019ve got a surprise for you. Close your eyes and hold out your hands.\u201dI did as he asked, feeling something light placed in my palms. When I opened my eyes, I saw two plane tickets. \u201cNo way,\u201d I gasped, reading the destination. \u201cThe Dominican Republic? Are you serious?\u201d John grinned. \u201cPack your bags, babe. We leave in three hours.\u201d I squealed with delight, peppering his face with kisses.\n
\u201cJohn, this is amazing! I can\u2019t believe you did this!\u201d \u201cBetter hurry,\u201d he laughed. \u201cYou\u2019ve got 20 minutes to pack before we need to hit the road.\u201d As I rushed to throw clothes into a suitcase, I couldn\u2019t help but feel a twinge of guilt. John had been so busy with work lately, and I hadn\u2019t seen much of him. This trip was exactly what we needed to reconnect. \u201cReady for our adventure?\u201d John asked, leaning against the doorframe. I zipped up my bag and smiled. \u201cWith you? Always.\u201d The flight to the Dominican Republic was a blur of excitement and anticipation. As we stepped off the plane, the warm tropical air enveloped us like a welcoming embrace. \u201cOh my God, John, it\u2019s beautiful!\u201d I exclaimed, taking in the lush greenery and vibrant colors surrounding the airport. John squeezed my hand. \u201cJust wait until you see where we\u2019re staying.\u201d A sleek black car was waiting to whisk us away to our resort. As we drove along the coast, I couldn\u2019t tear my eyes away from the sparkling turquoise waters. \u201cI can\u2019t believe you kept this a secret,\u201d I said, turning to John. \u201cHow long have you been planning this?\u201d He gave me a sly smile. \u201cLet\u2019s just say it wasn\u2019t easy with all those late nights at the office.\u201d A pang of guilt hit me as I remembered how distant we\u2019d been lately. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I\u2019ve been so wrapped up in my own stuff.\n
I know your new project has been demanding.\u201d John\u2019s expression softened. \u201cHey, that\u2019s why we\u2019re here. No work, no distractions. Just us.\u201d The car pulled up to a stunning beachfront resort. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, and I could hear the gentle lapping of waves on the shore. \u201cWelcome to paradise!\u201d our driver announced with a grin. As we checked in, I couldn\u2019t stop gawking at the luxurious lobby. \u201cJohn, this must have cost a fortune,\u201d I whispered. He just winked at me. \u201cNothing but the best for my girl.\u201d Our room was even more spectacular \u2014 a spacious suite with a private balcony overlooking the ocean. I stepped out onto the balcony, breathing in the salty air. John came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. \u201cWhat do you think? Was it worth the wait?\u201d I turned in his arms, looking up into his warm brown eyes. \u201cIt\u2019s perfect. You\u2019re perfect.\u201d He leaned down to kiss me, and for a moment, all my worries melted away. As we broke apart, John\u2019s stomach growled loudly, making us both laugh. \u201cI guess that\u2019s our cue to find some food,\u201d I giggled. \u201cWhat do you say we hit the beach and grab some snacks?\u201d John grinned. \u201cRace you to the water!\u201d As we ran towards the sparkling sea, hand in hand, I couldn\u2019t shake the feeling that this trip was going to change everything. The next couple of days were a whirlwind of sun, sand, and pure bliss. We lounged on the beach, sipping from fresh coconuts and indulging in mouthwatering seafood. Every night, we danced bachata under the stars, our bodies moving in perfect sync. On our third evening, we sprawled out on a sun lounger, watching the sunset paint the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink. I rested my head on John\u2019s chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.\n
\u201cWhy haven\u2019t we done this before?\u201d I asked, tracing lazy circles on his arm. John\u2019s chest rumbled with a low chuckle. \u201cI couldn\u2019t think of a better time than our anniversary. Plus, I wanted it to be a surprise.\u201d I tilted my head up to look at him. \u201cWell, consider me thoroughly surprised and completely spoiled.\u201d As we lay there, I thought about the little surprise I had for John. My hand unconsciously drifted to my stomach, where our little secret was growing. I\u2019d found out I was pregnant just before the trip and had been waiting for the perfect moment to tell him. \u201cWhat\u2019s on your mind?\u201d John asked, noticing my thoughtful expression. I smiled mysteriously. \u201cOh, nothing. Just thinking about how lucky I am.\u201d He kissed the top of my head. \u201cI\u2019m the lucky one.\u201d As the last rays of sunlight painted the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks, John sat up suddenly. \u201cHey, want to take a walk on the beach? The sunset\u2019s always magical here.\u201d I nodded eagerly, already planning how I\u2019d reveal my news. \u201cSounds perfect.\u201d We strolled hand in hand along the shoreline, the warm water lapping at our feet. The fading light cast a golden glow over the beach and made everything look magical. I took a deep breath, reaching into my pocket to feel the small gift box I\u2019d brought from New York. \u201cJohn, there\u2019s something I want to tell you\u2014\u201d I said.\n
Suddenly, a figure appeared in the dimming light, running towards us. Before I could process what was happening, a woman in a white swimsuit dropped to her knees in front of John. \u201cJohn!\u201d she cried out. \u201cYou\u2019re the love of my life. It\u2019s time you stopped pretending and told her everything. I want you to be my one and only. Will you marry me?\u201d I froze, my hand still clutching the gift box in my pocket. The world seemed to tilt on its axis as I looked from the woman to John, waiting for him to say something\u2026 anything\u2026 to explain what was happening. John\u2019s face drained of color, his mouth opening and closing without a sound. And then, to my utter disbelief, he burst out laughing. My heart pounded in my chest as John\u2019s laughter echoed across the beach. Was this some kind of sick joke? I watched in horror as he reached down and helped the woman to her feet, pulling her into a tight hug. \u201cYou couldn\u2019t choose a better time, right?\u201d John chuckled, still holding the stranger. Tears stung my eyes as I found my voice. \u201cWhat the heck is going on? John, who is she?\u201d I choked out, my earlier joy evaporating like mist in the sun. The nightmare I\u2019d had on our anniversary morning came rushing back. John leaving me alone in a tropical paradise\u2026\n
Was this some twisted version of that dream coming true? John turned to me, his eyes widening as he saw the tears on my face. \u201cRosa, honey, I\u2019m so sorry,\u201d he said quickly, stepping towards me. \u201cThis is Julia. We studied together in college.\u201d Julia grinned, extending her hand. \u201cNice to meet you, Rosa. I hope I didn\u2019t scare you too badly.\u201d I stared at her hand, unable to process what was happening. John continued, \u201cI once mocked her during a theater performance and everyone had a good laugh. She promised to get her revenge someday, and I guess this is it!\u201d Julia nodded enthusiastically. \u201cThat\u2019s right! I saw him from a distance and spent 20 minutes trying to figure out if it was really him. When I was sure, I couldn\u2019t resist staging a little prank!\u201d As their words sank in, the tension in my body slowly began to unwind. It was just a prank. A stupid, ill-timed prank. \u201cYou\u2026 you\u2019re not leaving me, right?\u201d I nervously asked John. His face softened as he pulled me into his arms. \u201cNever, Rosa. I\u2019m so sorry we scared you. I had no idea Julia was here or that she\u2019d do this.\u201d I let out a shaky laugh, gently bumping my fist against his chest. \u201cI almost had a mini heart attack, you jerk.\u201d As the relief washed over me, I remembered the gift box in my pocket.\n
Maybe now was the perfect time after all. \u201cSweetie,\u201d I said, pulling back to look at John. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, I won\u2019t kneel, but\u2026 there was something I was gonna tell you a few minutes ago.\u201d I pulled out the small box and placed it in his hand. John\u2019s eyes widened, a look of pure joy spreading across his face when he opened the box and held out a delicate silver chain with a tiny locket in the shape of a baby shoe. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have a baby,\u201d I whispered, feeling a fresh wave of emotion. John\u2019s eyes filled with tears as he pulled me into a tight hug. \u201cI love you so much, Rosa. You\u2019ve just made me the happiest man on Earth.\u201d Julia clapped her hands in delight. \u201cNow that\u2019s a plot twist I didn\u2019t see coming! Congratulations, you two.\u201d As we stood there on the beach, the sun dipping below the horizon, I realized that this crazy, emotional rollercoaster of a day had brought us even closer together. And with a new chapter about to begin, I couldn\u2019t wait to see what the future held for our little family.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While on the Beach with My Husband, a Woman Ran Up, Knelt, and Said His Name Just as John and I basked in our anniversary bliss on the beach, a woman in a swimsuit ran up, knelt before him, and uttered his name. My heart stopped. Who was she, and what could she possibly want\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":83352,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[855],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-83349","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-story"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/120.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83349\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83349"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83349"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inovatestory.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}